


let me walk to the top of the big night sky

by desolateskies



Series: widojest week 2020 [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Multi, but don't worry the clerics are right there to be fluffy and romantic, caleb-typical self esteem issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25140796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desolateskies/pseuds/desolateskies
Summary: Caleb knew, in that way he always did, that it was very late at night. The Xhorhasian sky outside his bedroom window offered little comfort, dotted in constellations so different from the ones he’d spent years looking up at. Not even Essek’s most recent loan of books on magic theory could distract him from that sudden, aching loneliness that came from solitude after weeks of close quarters.He missed the closeness of the Nein, of offering to take watches with Jester or Caduceus only to hear Beau's sleepy “you better keep our asses safe instead of making out for the next two hours” during shift changes.[prompt two: dressed up]
Relationships: Caduceus Clay/Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast
Series: widojest week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819588
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36
Collections: Widojest Week 2020





	let me walk to the top of the big night sky

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to the second installment of widojest week with a poly twist! i completely forgot to write this until about 9:30 pm, so we'll see how it goes.
> 
> title is from "first love/late spring" by mitski, but i swear it doesn't get that sad.

Caleb knew, in that way he always did, that it was very late at night. The Xhorhasian sky outside his bedroom window offered little comfort, dotted in constellations so different from the ones he’d spent years looking up at. Not even Essek’s most recent loan of books on magic theory could distract him from that sudden, aching loneliness that came from solitude after weeks of close quarters.

He missed the closeness of the Nein, of offering to take watches with Jester or Caduceus only to hear Beau's sleepy “you better keep our asses safe instead of making out for the next two hours” during shift changes. 

This new... _ thing _ between the three of them was still nerve-wracking, and he was terrified that a few days of alone time was all that it would take for their relationship to stagnate and fracture. Those fears were unfounded, of course. He’d seen the way Jester could wish someone’s soul back into their broken body, the way that Caduceus could coax delicate flowers to life under the sunless sky. They weren’t the type to abandon lost causes. 

He curled tighter around Frumpkin’s warm weight in his lap. The quiet rumble of his familiar’s presence had gotten him through plenty of cold, painful nights before, and this one would be no-

_ Caleb? Are you awake? If you are, I’m going to come and find you in a few minutes, so you better not be sleeping when- _

It took a moment to realize that this was  _ Sending _ and not just his traitorous heart giving him something to yearn for.

“Um-  _ ja _ , of course. Was there something that you needed?” he replied, voice hoarse from hours of silence.

_ Okay,  _ good _ , because I’m coming over. I couldn’t sleep and Beau passed out  _ hours _ ago without leaving time for girl talk, which is  _ fine _ , but- _

Caleb’s quiet chuckle echoed in his room. “I will be awake when you get here. Just remember to knock so that you don’t startle Frumpkin.”

The quiet knock that sounded after seven minutes and six seconds calmed Caleb’s jumpy nerves. He nudged his cat off of his lap to go to the door, leaving the familiar to hop onto his bed and curl contentedly atop his pillow.

The door creaked open, revealing Jester in a familiar evening gown. A mischievous smile bloomed across her face as Caleb spent a long moment taking in the sight.  The ambient light set her partially in shadow, emphasizing the delicate fullness of her lips, the tantalizing dip of her collarbones, the soft curve of her waist. She was beautiful, and, more importantly, she was _here_ smiling at him. 

“You know that you can compliment me with  _ words _ , right?” Jester teased, shuffling past him to dump a small pile of objects onto his meticulously-clean desk. The soft hiss of pale pink chiffon dragging across the floor shook Caleb out of his stupor.

“I apologize, I just didn’t expect you to be dressed so nicely,” Caleb said as he shut the door and followed her over to his desk. He quickly recognized the small treasure trove of makeup she’d accumulated at the Xhorhaus.

“I know that you prefer me naked, but-”

Caleb sputtered, turning bright red. “I don’t-”

“You  _ do _ though, but I thought this would be  _ such  _ a nice surprise,”

“It’s the middle of the night,” was all Caleb could say, a little dumbfounded. Jester took the opportunity to pull out his chair. He sat down, and she immediately plopped down into his lap. Caleb’s hands shot up to her hips to hold her steady.

“I messaged Caduceus already. I thought the three of us could have a little midnight dance party,” Jester said, “now, close your eyes.”

Caleb obeyed, and felt the press of a brush carefully lining his eyes with something dark. He could sense her in the space before him, close enough that he could probably kiss her. She seemed to have the same thought, and pressed a quick peck to his lips before beginning to work on the other eye.

“A dance party?” he prompted as Jester switched to a softer brush to swirl something across his eyelids.

“Yeah, just to spend time together looking all pretty, you know?” she said, and now he could feel her combing something through his eyelashes. It was a bizarre feeling, but he trusted Jester’s judgement when it came to beauty.”

“You always look pretty,” he admitted, squeezing her hips gently. He felt her breathy giggle before he heard it.

“Especially when I’m naked, right?”

“ _ Jester. _ ”

“Open your eyes?” she asked instead of responding, and when he did, Jester squeaked with delight.

“You look so good, Caleb! You have to let me do this more often!” she gushed, and a few months ago he would’ve been suspicious at her praise. Now, it just brought a smile to his face. Jester was never frugal with her compliments, but she also wasn’t a liar, not to him. 

“I’m honored to be your canvas,  _ schatz _ ,” he replied, kissing her cheeks and coming away with the faintest taste of powder. She held up a mirror and Caleb barely recognized the man looking back at him.

He thought of the last time he let someone do his makeup, of steady farmer’s hands clumsily applying kohl to his eyes. Astrid’s arms had still been weak with pain from the day’s lessons, but she’d insisted that he looked nice at the last party the three of them would ever attend as students. Wulf had stepped in, but it quickly became clear that his artistic ability started and ended at arcane sigils, even guided by Sassa's critical eye. In the end, Ikithon had met Caleb's nervous glance with a raised eyebrow and removed the past hour’s efforts with a disapproving  _ prestidigitation. _

“What’s wrong?" Caleb's eyes met hers in the mirror. "You look sad."

She was perceptive as always, and he hated how wounded she sounded. Jester always did such good work, put her heart and soul into making the people around her feel better. 

“Do you not like it? We could always do something different, or-” she continued, beginning to rifle through her items once again. Caleb took her wrist gently to still her frantic movement.

“It’s just...old memories. Nothing to worry about. You did a wonderful job.”

Her smile returned quickly, and Caleb was helpless against its draw. He kissed her again...and again..and-

“I almost forgot!” Jester gasped, and Caleb was left bereft of her warm weight as she made her way across the room. She opened his closet to pull out the jacket he’d acquired in Nicodranas. It hadn’t been worn since that night, and slipping it on felt like shrouding himself in a layer of armor. He took a moment to run his fingers over the lining of red and gold damask, luxuriating in the way it felt.

When he looked up, Jester was already tucking his component pouch into one of the coat’s inner pockets. He never went anywhere without it on his person, a quirk he thought that no one else had noticed. He flushed a shade brighter.

“Shall we?” he asked, bowing and extending his hand for Jester. She glided across the floor, elegant as a socialite, and took it. 

* * *

“Don’t you two look handsome?” Caduceus said evenly, smiling softly at his partners while they hovered in his doorway. Though this was Caleb's first visit, he had to admit that the room seemed comfortable. It was stuffed to the brim with tiny treasures Caduceus had brought back from adventures and small jars of liquid sunlight. All in all, it was an eclectic collection of items that almost looked out of place next to his mint green frock coat and formal ensemble, but there was nothing about the firbolg that wasn’t warm. His presence chased away the vestiges of that lonely chill in Caleb’s bones.

“Thought you would be coming sooner rather than later. If you didn’t get distracted, that is,” he commented. If it came from anyone other than Caduceus, Caleb would’ve missed the wry twist of a smile that flickered across his face.

“I was busy making him  _ pretty _ , not boning him,” Jester defended, mock-offense in her voice.

“I’m sure that’s true,” Caduceus said mildly, making meaningful eye contact with Caleb, “but come in, come in. There’s much to talk about.”

**Author's Note:**

> and of COURSE i figured out a way to slip in some astrid and eodwulf content. i'm gay. fight me.


End file.
